Contrivances for a pattern making loom



1960 E. OEZE HOFFMANN 2,920,658

comazvmcas FOR A PATTERN MAKING LOOM Filed Sept. 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet1' Jan. 12, 1960 E. OEZE HOFFMANN 2,920,658

commvmcss FOR A PATTERN MAKING LOOM Filed Sept. 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheetz I I 25' 257 2.51-? In Y i i 27 V I w i i 25 i l I 3/ i i 3/ /o -30 30fl /0 35' 32 mmvroa.

United States PatentOfifice I 2,920,658 Patented Jan. 12, 1960CONTRIVANCES FOR A PATTERN MAKING TLOOM Emmerich Oeze Hoffmann,Santiago, Chile Application September 19, 1955, Serial No. 535,173 7Claims. (Cl'. 139-33 This invention broadly relates to the art ofproducing textile patterns, and to means for producing them, said meansbeing adapted to facilitate a rapid, so to speak continuous productionof a great variety of woven samples, what may be termed experimentaltextile samples or patterns of difierent designs without the heretoforerequired material and time-consuming and often difficult preparation orconditioning of weaving instrumentalities to effect the necessarychanges in the orientation of yarn for the production of woven samplesof changing designs, said means further facilitating the making of whatmay be termed immediate changes of patterns or sample weave designs in acontinuous sequence.

In looms of present day construction there are employed one or more warpbeams or similar means supporting substantial length of warp yarn. Thesesubstantialyarn lengths provide a so-to-speak continuous yarn supply.Such continuous yarn supply is entirely unsuitable for makingsubstantially short sample runs or patterns of differing overalldesigns, but in which samples, threads of different colors, ofdifl'erent materials and of different qualities are to be employed, andwherein threads are to be specifically grouped to produce rapidly themost varied design effects.

In looms employing warp beams or similar means and the resultingcontinuous supply of warp yarn, the above outlined necessity of frequentyarn changes would present a most diflicult, costly and very impracticalmanipulating problem. The present invention contemplates a mosteffective and simple solution of that problem.

That simple solution, which constitutes one of the prime objects of thepresent invention, is the method of speedily producing pattern samplesand which method consists of the following essential steps: Theemployment of substantially short warp yarns, the removable fastening ofone end of the yarns in a rear yarn carrier, passing the yarn throughthe shed-forming means and simultaneously through a mobile reed,fastening the other end of the warp yarns in front of said shed-formingmeans and tensioning the yarn, effecting successive weaving operationsby forming yarn sheds by the use of several fingers and passing weftthreads through the sheds.

The further, most important object of this invention is the provision ofmanually operable, simple means to facilitate making so-to-speakimmediate changes of weaving designs in a continuously progressive anduninterrupted sequence.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more fully understood from the ensuingdescription, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatical perspective view of ahand-operable loom in its presently preferred form and in accordancewith the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the manually operable shaft structuresemployed in the loom; and

"Fig. 3 is a fragrnental perspective view of the front part of the loomshowing two adjacent shaft structures and the reed, as well as detentmeans for the shaft structures and means for efiecting the disengagementof said shaft structures from said detent means.

In Fig. 1 there is illustrated a typical loom construction as used inconnection with the present invention. There is shown a loom standcomposed of a substantially long rear portion 10 and a shorter frontalportion 11, and between these portions there is disposed a plurality ofspring-mounted shafts operative in shafts guide 12. Secured on top ofrear stand portion 10 is a longitudinal carrier guide 13 supporting oneor more rear yarn carriers 14, 14' and 14". At the front portion 11 ofthe stand there is mounted a cloth roller 15 carrying a cloth tape 16.Roller 15 is provided with a handle or other means indicated at 17 foroperating the same in rolling up tape 16. Between the roller 15 andshafts guide 12 are guide bars 18, operatively suspending a combinationreed support and reed guide 19, upon which rests reed 20 shown ingreater detail in Fig. 3. Reed 20 is intended to reciprocate betweenroller 15 and shafts guide 12, as will be presently explained.

Shafts guide 12 comprises two oppositely disposed ends or supports 21and between these supports are guided and operatively mounted individualshafts 22, arranged in rows, one of which shaft is shown in detail inFig. 2. From the horizontal ledges 21' of these supports depend springs23 by means of which shafts 22 are operatively suspended. Each of theseshafts is composed of a fixed outer frame 24, the vertical sides ofwhich are provided with grooves 25. In these grooves there are supportedand guided two resilient heddles-carrying, spaced, superimposed bars 26which can be readily inserted into frame 24 or removed therefrom.Attached to the bars 26 are heddles 27 provided with heddle eyes 28.Heddles 27 can be bodily moved to either the left or right-hand end ofbars 26.

In Fig. 1 there is shown between shaft supports 21 a plurality of shafts22, and each of the shafts is provided with a hand grip 29, the handgrips of all shafts being numbered and are preferably arranged instaggered relation to one another. By means of hand grips 29 shafts 22can be individually operated, that is can be moved in verticaldirections relative to other shafts, as will be presently evident.Suspending springs 23 for all shafts are so designed as to hold theshafts at a substantially uniform, normal position, that is with theupper, horizontal members of frames 24 disposed in a level plane.

While suspension springs 23 are employed for the shaft frames, theseshaft frames can be supported by compression springs if desired.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, only the first nine shafts are seen providedwith hand grips for the sake of clarity. Obviously the shafts in rear ofthe first group of shafts, numbered 1 to 9, are meant to be alsoequipped with similar hand grips, numbered 10 to 18, 19 to 27, etc.,except that the first group of hand grips will be the shortest and thenext one longer and the last group longest to facilitate the depressionof the shafts by the fingers of the hand.

In Fig. 1 shaft 22, having hand grip 1, is shown depressed and held inits depressed position. The means for holding any one of the shafts 22in their depressed position are clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.The verti cal members of frames 24 are shown to be provided withoppositely disposed recesses 30 and which recesses are adapted to beengaged by detents 31 when the shafts are first manually depressed andthen released to be urged upwardly by suspension springs 23. Detents 31are normally forced by springs 32 into engagement with frames 24. Thesesprings are secured to portions of loom stand 10 as indicated in Fig. 2.Detents 31 are pivoted at 33 and are provided with ledges 34 upon whichrest abutment springs 35 adapted to soften the impact of shafts 22 asthey are being depressed by means of hand grips 29, and to elevate themto their normal position and to facilitate the release of the frames bythe operation of the reed which slides on bearing bars 18.

Reed 20, shown clearly in'Fig. 3, is provided with a frontal ledge 36for the support and guidance of shuttles bearing weft threads, andwhichv shuttles are illustrated at 37 in Fig. l. The reed serves asbatten. Depending from reed ledge 36 are vertical members 38 supportingat their lower ends detent-releasing bars 39. When any of the shafts aredepressed and held in their depressed position by detcnts 31 and reed ismoved towards the shafts, detent-releasing bars 39 cause thedisengagement of the detents from recesses and permit spring 23 toelevate the shafts.

While in connection with Fig. 3 a specific arrangement of retaining andreleasing means for the shafts is described, any other means foreffecting similar results can be obviously substituted.

Referring again to'Fig. 1, there will be seen next to cloth tape 16, asupport 40 at the left thereof. Resting upon suport 40 is front yarncarrier 41 by means of which the front ends of warp yarn can betemporarily held in place prior to their employment in the weavingoperation, for instance, for pulling the threads through the heddle eyesor for tying or twisting the threads and for attaching them to analready used warp thread or to a group of warp threads. Front end yarn,carrier 41 is portable and is adapted to be bodily moved along the lefthand portion of the stand and can be temporarily rested upon anyconvenient point either of the left-hand stand port-ion 10' or theleft-hand frontal support 40, the latter position of carrier 41 beingillustrated in Fig. 1.

As the weaving operation progresses, more and more warp yarn isdemanded, and to satisfy that yarn demand, front yarn end carrier 41 issuccessively moved from place to place along the left-hand side of theloom stand in rearward direction. Thus front end yarn carrier 41functions as a temporary holder or retainer for one yarn end, which ishere called the front yarn end while the other yarn end is either beingconditioned or already is in condition forpassage toward or through theloom mechanism.

At the right side of cloth tape 16 there will be seen a shuttle support42 similar to carrier support 40, which latter can also be used asshuttle support if desired.

Referring again to Figs. 2 and 3, the detent arrangement for shafts 22is shown in a specific form in these figures to indicate how the shafts,when depressed, are

In order to facilitate the rapid production of sample patterns there areemployed warp yarn threads of a limited length, that is of a length muchshorter than that usually employed with looms provided with warp beams.Instead of warp beams delivering a continuous yarn supply there areprovided rear end warp yarn carriers shown at 14, 14 and 14", which arein the shape of bars supported upon a longitudinal carrier guide 13 andare movable and adjustable relative thereto. Upon these bars are mountedclosely adjacent friction elements 43 which are adapted to hold eitherindividual warp threads or a group of warp threads between them.Friction elements 43 preferably comprise closely adjacent rubber coveredmembers so arranged that when a thread is placed between them suchthread is held removably but sufficiently firmly, so that when the warpyarn is pulled, it is still retained in the carrier. In rear of elements43 are preferably provided apertures for the reception of removable pegs44, to which groups of threads can be tied, or twisted, such as warpyarn indicated at 45. By the use of substantially short yarn lengths itbecomes an easy matter to change, group, rearrange or remove warp yarnsin the loom, as compared with the difficult changes and replacement ofsubstantially long, continuous yarn supplies carried by warp beams. Dueto the employment of short warp yarn lengths it is relatively easy topass individual warp yarn or groups of warp yarn through the heddle eyesof the different shafts. In order to facilitate the passage of yarnthrough the heddle eyes a shaft is depressed as shown for example inFig. 1, wherein shaft 1 is lowered sufficiently by one hand to allow forthe other hand to reach and pull forwards the desired heddles to effectpassage of desired yarn through the heddle eyes. In other words theshafts can be lowered to positions-at which sufficient space is providedfor the above-stated hand operations. Such insertion of yarn ispreferably effected by suitable hooks which not only bring the yarnthrough the heddle eyes but also, and simultaneously, through the bladesof reed 20. Such hooks are not shown since their structure is ratherobvious. When the passage of desired yarn through the heddle eyes andthe reed is effected, the front ends of the yarn are attachedto the endof cloth tape 16, and as the Weaving operation progresses the cloth tapeis wound by means of handle 17 upon roller 15. This cloth tape keeps theyarn under tension for the purpose of weaving.

The weaving procedure consists of the manual formation of yarn sheds andthe passage through the sheds of weft threads carried by shuttles 37.The latter are alternately moved from the right toward the left and fromthe left toward the right. The formation of yarn sheds is effected bythe depression by hand of desired shafts 22 and their retentionintheirdepressed position until released by the operation of reed 20, thuspermitting the latter to reassume their normal,-elevated positionadjacent to all stationarily-retained shafts.

While in Fig. 1 only nine shafts are seen provided with manual grips 29,theshafts in rear of the last shaft No. 9" are intended to be alsoprovided with similar hand grips. Any number of shafts 22 may beemployed in guides 12.

A typical example of the weaving operation is as follows: Assuming thatyarn sheds are'to be formed, some of the shafts 22, say shafts 1, 3, 5,-7 and9 are depressed to their lowermost position at which they are heldby detents 31. Thus the threads carried by these depressed shafts arelowered, while the other shafts 2, 4, 6 and 8 remain at their normal,elevated position and their threads form the upper shed, whereas thethreads in the depressed shafts form the;lower shed. Now a shuttle 37 ispassed through the sheds, being guided on ledge 36 of ree'd 20. The reedis then moved first towards the frontalends of the warp yarn attached tocloth tape 16, the front edge of reed ledge 36 serving as batten.Thereupon the reed is moved rearwards, that is towards the shafts. Themovement of the reed causes the, release of the depressed shafts fromdetents 31 and the shafts reassume their normal, upward position.depressed to form a lower shed, while the odd numbers retain their warpyarn in the upper position and form the upper shed. A shuttle with theweft thread is passed through the sheds and the reed is again movedfirst forward and then rearward towards the shafts, thus releasing thedepressed shafts to reassume their normal position.

As now the weaving operations proceed, the finished woven samples aredrawn forward by cloth tape 16, that is in the direction away from theshed-forming portion of the device, that is in the direction away fromshafts frame 12. Obviously the warp'yarn and rear ends carrier 14 areadvanced forwardly.

Now the even numbers of shafts are When samples of the most variedpatterns are desired it is relatively easy to quickly effect thenecessary yarn changes, yarn arrangements and yarn grouping, by simplycutting the yarn which is no longer wanted and replacing same by otherdesired warp yarn, by removing the unwanted threads from the carrier,such as by cutting, and tying up or twisting-on the wanted new threads,the latter then being attached to the carrier in place of the unwantedthreads. Due to the substantially short length of the warp yarn threadssuch changes, substitutions and various grouping of yarn can be readilyeffected.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the front group ofshafts has hand gripping means numbered 1 to "9" of substantially thesame height. When other shaft groups, in rear of the front group, areemployed, their gripping means are made successively longer tofacilitate the individual operation of the shafts in any group.

Referring again to Fig. 2 and particularly to the heddlescarrying bars26, the latter are made preferably of resilient material so that theycan be sprung out from and sprung into outer frame 24. Thus bars 26 arerendered readily accessible, and frame 24 can be placed on a table forarranging and positioning therein of bars 26 and of any number ofheddles in these bars, whereupon frame or shaft 24 is replaced.

While in the foregoing it specific structure of a hand loom isdescribed, it is obvious that simple variations in the construction ofthe different elements employed in the loom may become necessary as theproduction of the device progresses, such obvious changes being deemedto reside within the scope of the present invention as defined in theannexed claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a pattern making loom, a loom stand having rear and front portionsand a shafts mounting, a plurality of individual, manually operativeheddle-carrying shafts movable in said shafts mounting, a mobile rearends warp yarn carrier associated with the rear loom stand portion, ayarn front ends fastening and yarn tensioning roller at the front loomstand portion, a reed structure movable between said shafts mounting andsaid roller, individual warp yarn threads and assorted combinations ofwarp yarn groups, all of predetermined, limited length, extendingbetween said yarn carrier and said roller and passing through eyes ofthe heddles in the shafts and through said reed, the rear portions ofsaid yarn threads and of said warp yarn groups being frictionally butdetachably held by said rear ends warp yarn carrier.

2. In a pattern making loom according to claim 1, and wherein each ofthe shafts is provided with means for manually positioning it withinsaid shaft mounting in respect to other shafts, said positioning meansof different shaft rows differing in length.

3. In a pattern making loom according to claim 2, and wherein tensionalsuspensions for said heddles-carrw'ng shafts are provided in said shaftsmounting so that all of the shafts are normally held at a uniform,elevated position in said shaft mounting, and wherein the shafts arearranged in groups, and wherein said manual positioning means of saidshafts is of a sufficient length to depress a shaft in respect to allother elevated shafts so as to facilitate and unencumbered operation ofpassing warp yarn through the eyes of \heddles of the depressed shaft,and wherein said positioning means of the different shaft groupsprogress in length from the frontmost shaft group toward the rearmostshaft group, and wherein said positioning means of each shaft group arearranged in staggered relation to one another in the direction from thefront to the rear.

4. In a pattern making loom according to claim 3, and wherein releasabledetent means for said shafts are provided for retaining depressed shaftsat their depressed position to cause the formation of a lower yarn shed,while the warp yarn held in the shafts which are maintained at theirnormal, elevated position forms the upper yarn shed.

5. In a pattern making loom according to claim 4, and wherein said reedstructure is provided with a shuttlesupporting ledge for guiding weftthread holding shuttles through the formed warp yarn sheds.

6. In a pattern making loom according to claim 5, and wherein said reedstructure is provided with means for causing said shaft detent means toassume a shaftreleasing position when said reed structure is moved aftereach passage of weft threads through the warp yarn sheds.

7. The method of rapidly weaving sample patterns on a warp-bearnlessloom having shed-forming means, the latter comprising a series ofindividual manually and independently operable, normally aligned shaftscarrying heddles, said loom further having a mobile reed serving as ashuttle guide and as batten, said method consisting of removablyfastening one end of a plurality of warp yarns to a linearly movablesupport in rear of said shed-forming means, passing the other end of thewarp yarns through the heddles of the shafts and through the reed,tcnsioning the warp yarn by fastening its passed-through ends to arotary tensioning element; forming warp sheds by manually altering therelative position of some shafts to some other shafts, passing a weftthread through the thus formed sheds, battening the weft thread bymoving the reed away from the shafts, causing the warp yarns to assumeparallel positions to one another by restoring the shafts to theirnormally aligned position; moving the thus formed weave course away fromsaid shed-forming means by operating said tension element, and repeatingthe method steps of forming sheds, passing weft yarn through the shedsand moving the formed weave courses away from the shed-forming means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BrooksMar. 7, 1939

